Antenatal diagnosis of fetal hepatic hemangioma treated with maternal corticosteroids

Background: Infantile hepatic hemangioma is a benign liver tumor with poten tially fatal complications. Response of these lesions to steroid therapy ha s been well documented in infants. Successful antenatal treatment of a feta l hepatic hemangioma with maternal corticosteroids is reported. Case: A 36-year-old woman, gravida 2, pam 1, had an ultrasound at 17 weeks which showed a fetal hepatic hemangioma. because of increase of the tumor a nd enlarged fetal heart, maternal oral corticosteroid therapy was commenced at 28 weeks, which progressively decreased the mass. The infant was delive red at 36 weeks with no evidence of heart failure, and at 7 months the tumo r was barely seen on ultrasound. Conclusion: When an enlarging fetal hepatic hemangioma is detected antenata lly, maternal corticosteroid therapy should be considered. (Obstet Gynecol 1999;94:813-5. (C) 1999 by The American College of Obstetricians and Gyneco logists.).